Love Workshop
by MusicFlows
Summary: Kahoko and Kazuki take a trip together. K & K are OOC
1. Chapter 1

**Love Workshop**

He got to the bus station early. He wanted to greet Kaho-chan the very millisecond that she arrived. They would be spending much of the weekend together, and most of today would be just the two of them. He could barely stand still, bobbing on the balls of his feet. He couldn't remember being this excited.

The taxi let her off at the bus station. Hihara-senpai sprang forward from the lobby to greet her. In spite of the early hour, he was bright and energetic. She on the other hand was barely awake. She was _not _a morning person. Besides that, she had pulled a couple all-nighters in order to hand in a project the day before. She was exhausted and it had taken both her mother and her sister yelling at her this morning to get her into the taxi.

"Good Morning, Kaho-chan! Let me carry your bag." He swung his own duffel bag further back on his shoulder and took her rolling carry-on bag. He had already researched which dock their bus would be leaving from, and the two of them headed in that direction. He bounced as he walked and she dragged her feet.

Their bus would be departing from dock #8. The two musicians stood in line behind 11 other people. "We should exchange phone numbers, right, Kaho-chan?"

"Good idea." She managed a weak smile as she took out her cell phone. She was grateful to not be doing this trip alone.

Holding their place in line outside the bus as Hihara went to get drinks and snacks, Kahoko reviewed the events that brought them here. Kanazawa had called a meeting last week to inform the concours participants that they would be attending performance workshops in Nagoya over the weekend. There were so many workshops on different topics, that most of the Seiso musicians wouldn't even be in the same classes as each other. She and Hihara-senpai were traveling together because their respective first workshops began around the same time on the 2nd day. All of their friends had gone already the evening before. Hotel rooms had been reserved for all Seiso participants, so they could stay overnight and attend workshops up to Day 3.

Kahoko was looking forward to traveling with her green-haired friend. He was such a sweet guy, always fun to be around. She liked his simple, optimistic approach to life. On the surface he seemed like just a happy-go-lucky guy, but when you got to know him there was a lot of depth and wisdom. They had been spending a lot of time together recently; playing music, going for ice cream or to the amusement park, or just hanging out and talking. He was a great listener and could brighten her mood like no one else. Except maybe not at 7:15am!

Hihara returned with enough snacks to feed an army. That fact that he was so fit was a testament to how much he exercised, as opposed to the kind of food he put in his body. He and Kahoko were soon boarding the bus, along with several other people from all walks of life. Most of them looked sleepy. Trumpet boy offered her the window seat, which she accepted. As the bus left the parking lot, she began falling into the numbness that she would have been enjoying if she were in her bed.

"You look tired, Kaho-chan. You should sleep. I don't mind."

"Oh…thanks Hihara-senpai. I guess I am still sleepy. I just need an hour or so." She laid her head back and closed her eyes.

Over the next several minutes he watched her as she tried one position after another. The window was probably too hard against her head, and the seat back didn't recline very far. If only she would lean against his shoulder, she would be more comfortable. Just as he was making up his mind to suggest it, she bunched up her jacket; put it in his lap and laid her head on it with her back to him, muttering to herself.


	2. Chapter 2

_Over the next several minutes he watched her as she tried one position after another. The window was probably too hard against her head, and the seat back didn't recline very far. If only she would lean against his shoulder, she would be more comfortable. Just as he was making up his mind to suggest it, she bunched up her jacket; put it in his lap and laid her head on it with her back to him, muttering something he couldn't hear._

_* * * * *_

He couldn't imagine that she would have done that if she were awake! She must have been asleep! He was very pleased with this turn of events, although now he didn't know where to put his arm. The most comfortable position for him would be on her waist or hip, but that would be too intimate. He couldn't hold his arm up for much longer, so finally he very gently rested it across her back, with his hand on her shoulder. He was careful not to wake her.

She slept soundly for the next two hours. He spent the time enjoying her closeness. For a while he leaned forward to study the side of her face. Then he worked up his courage to investigate how much he could touch her without waking her up. He delicately combed through the ends of her cherry strands. He slowly stroked her shoulder and upper arm, his fingers passing close to her breast. He felt so guilty about it, he peeked across the aisle to see if the other passengers noticed his explorations, but everyone was either asleep or reading. His boldest move was when he touched her neck, his hand moving so slowly that she wouldn't have felt anything. When he had exhausted all of his touching options, he put his hand back on her shoulder. He sighed and admired the rest of her; the curve of her waist, her slender legs.

For weeks she had been all that he thought about. He was always with her in spirit. In the morning he pictured her running to school. During the day if he heard a violin, he would still until he figured out if it was her or not. At night he would imagine her tucked peacefully under the covers. His feelings for her were strong. He knew that if given the opportunity, he would do anything to make her happy, even if it meant he couldn't be with her. He was aware that he couldn't see him as anything more than a friend. Sometimes he would indulge in self-pity and think 'If only she would give me a chance…' but mostly he contented himself with loving her. It felt good, knowing that he could feel that way about her, knowing that someone like her existed.

Kahoko was awakened by a loud honk and a jolt as the bus driver applied the brakes. She felt strong hands holding her in place, and the ride resumed as normal. She became aware of where she was sleeping. She didn't budge as she considered the implications of resting in Hihara-sempai's lap. How had she gotten there? What must he think of her? But she was so tired and her pillow was so comfortable. She decided to stay where she was. She would deal with the embarrassment later. His hand felt good on her shoulder. With his arm across her back, it was almost like a hug. She fell asleep, feeling contented.

Eventually she woke up again, feeling achy from being in the same position for hours. She propped herself up into a sitting position, blinking as she looked at him. "I'm sorry, Hihara-sempai. I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable." He didn't seem at all bothered. In fact, he had a contented smile on his face.

"I wasn't uncomfortable, Kaho-chan. Did you sleep well?" Truth to tell, he had been dying to stretch his legs for the past hour, but there was no way he was going to cause her to move away.

"Yes, I did, thank you."

"Are you ready for a snack?"

"Mm!" She nodded emphatically. Hihara bent over (what a relief to bend!) to pick the snack bag off the floor. The two of them enjoyed savory buns, tea, crackers and pudding.

* * * * *

When they reached the hotel where the workshops were, they realized that they were going to be late for their 1:00 class. They parted ways in the conference lobby, promising to check in with each other by phone later.

Kahoko's first workshop was Performance Techniques. She learned many useful tips on how to visualize her performance, the process of performing, stage etiquette, and dealing with playing emergencies. Her 2:30 workshop was for intermediate string players exclusively, about using the bow in various ways.

From 4:00-7:00 was a break for everyone, during which time the participants could look at displays in the gallery, take a nap, have dinner before the 7:00 lecture and concert began. She was actually still really tired, and headed toward her room to have a nap. Hardly had she taken ten steps in the right direction, when she realized that Hihara-sempai still had her overnight bag. She would need it in order to change her clothes for the concert!

Hihara's heart leapt with joy when he saw her name on the call display. "Hello?...Oh, yes I do have your bag. Sorry!...I'm in my room right now, but I'll come meet you….Where are you?...Oh, that's right around the corner…Are you sure?...OK, just take the elevator to the 7th floor. I'm in room 732, to the left out of the elevator…OK, see you in a minute."

He answered the door 3 minutes later, to the droopy redhead. "Come in, Kaho-chan. I'm going to give you some snacks to take with you."

"You don't have to do that, Hihara-sempai. You bought them."

"But I bought them for both of us. I'll just be a minute. Have a seat." He held out the desk chair for her and she plunked down on it.

"Now where did I put that bag?" He rifled through his duffle bag. "Is your room nearby, Kaho-chan?"

"No, it's in the hotel across the street…How were your workshops, Hihara-sempai?"

"They were great! I'm going to be a better player after this." He still couldn't find the bag in question, until he remembered to check a bag he had put in the closet. "A-ha! Found it."

When he had extricated the snack bag, he turned to discover that she was sleeping with her head on the desk. He thought for a minute, then went to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Kaho-chan. Why don't you take a nap here? There are two beds and I only need one."

She was conscious enough to protest. "No, I'll go to my room." She was trying to imagine making the trip all the way there, but he had her by the elbow and was leading her to the bed. "You're too tired. Here you go. I'll wake you up when it's time to get ready for dinner." He pulled the covers back and waited for her to crawl in. She knew that there was probably something improper about accepting his offer, but her brain was too foggy to sort it out. She sank into the bed and fell into a deep sleep within seconds.

Hihara pulled the curtains to dim the light in the room. He lay on his bed, switching his phone to vibrate instead of ring. He had bumped into Tsuchiura earlier, who said he would call. The trumpeter didn't want anything to interrupt his precious Kahoko time, even if she was asleep. For the next half hour he listened to her breathe, wishing he were lying beside her. He wondered what it would be like to be able to touch her whenever he wanted.

Tsuchiura texted at 4:48, saying "Busy now. C U at dinner."

Hihara looked across the room at his favorite violinist. Her back was to him, but he could hear her soft breathing. The gap between him and her was torture. He quietly got up and went over to her bed. Very carefully he lowered himself next to her. He lay on his side, facing her back. She was under the covers and he was on top of them; that made it all right, didn't it? His arms ached to hold her. All the times he had spent time with her, walking and talking, sharing food, playing music together… he had wanted so badly to have her in his arms.

Suddenly, still deep in sleep, she rolled over to face him. Her sweet mouth was now so close, he could feel her breath. It was too much for him. He knew he would be discovered if he touched her, but he didn't care anymore. Her nearness had cast its spell on him. His hand moved in slow motion to pull red strands back from her face. His fingers made contact with her skin and stroked from her temple, across her cheek, down to her jaw. On his second pass she stirred, blinking and then staring at him with wide eyes, looking disoriented. He slowed his hand on her cheek, but didn't break contact. He spoke softly "If you tell me to stop, I will."

_* * * * *_


	3. Chapter 3

_Suddenly, still deep in sleep, she rolled over to face him. Her sweet mouth was now so close, he could feel her breath. It was too much for him. He knew he would be discovered if he touched her, but he didn't care anymore. Her nearness had cast its spell on him. His hand moved in slow motion to pull red strands back from her face. His fingers made contact with her skin and stroked from her temple, across her cheek, down to her jaw. On his second pass she stirred, blinking and then staring at him with wide eyes, looking disoriented. He slowed his hand on her cheek, but didn't break contact. He spoke softly "If you tell me to stop, I will."_

* * * * *

She studied his honey eyes as she tried to sort things out. They were lying facing each other, mere inches apart on the same bed and his hand was on her cheek. It was his touch that had awakened her. How did he get so close? And he was…what?...telling her that he would keep touching her until she told him to stop?

As his thumb softly rubbed her cheekbone, she tried to decide what to feel about the situation. Shouldn't she tell him to get lost?... Maybe it was his gentle, soulful expression. Or maybe the physical contact felt too good. Maybe she was too tired to resist, but…she didn't want him to stop. She sighed and closed her eyes.

He interpreted her quiet as permission, although he knew he would have to be very careful. For a hyper teenage boy it was a challenge to do anything slowly but the parameters were clear: if he scared her it would all be over in a heartbeat. He resumed caressing her as before. With every gentle stroke of his fingers, he won more of her skin until he had adored virtually all of her face. Everything he did was slow and soft so as not to alarm her.

Her body was waking up and her mind was in a whirl. Was his touch comforting or was it intimate? Where was this going? Should she protest?... All she knew was that it felt good. She could tell him to stop at any time if he went too far, right?

He guessed that her mouth was a domain unto itself and that he would have to be extra cautious there. He carefully ran his fingers around the perimeter of her lips, watching her. With no objection from the lady, he began exploring her lips with his thumb. While she wasn't actively encouraging him, she wasn't discouraging him either.

The moment had come. Hihara leaned in and kissed her tenderly, leaving his lips there for a few seconds before pulling back. She opened her eyes and stared at him. He couldn't decipher her expression…maybe indecision? When she remained quiet and unmoving he bent forward to kiss her again. "Stop" she said softly.

He pulled back, hoping against hope that her 'stop' was a request for a pause rather than a cease and desist order. He looked lovingly into her eyes, waiting. She sighed, studying his muscular arm and touching it. Her gaze returned to his eyes and remained.

"A little more?" he asked hopefully.

Her nod was subtle, but he was attuned to it. Careful, Kazuki. At least he had demonstrated that he would stop when she told him to. His next move was a masterpiece of subtlety. He nestled his lips into the valleys of hers, first merely moving along her curves, then ever so slowly kissing her.

Her heart was beating overtime. Hihara-sempai was actually kissing her now! His full lips that were usually reserved for the trumpet were now on her. It felt amazing. He was her friend, so she should be able to trust him. But he was bigger and stronger than her, and he clearly wanted her. It excited her and made her nervous at the same time. Should she be concerned about how far he wanted to go?...about the repercussions for their friendship?…about what kind of commitment he wanted? Was she thinking too much?

He was being so gentle and loving with her. She decided that she would trust him for a little while longer. She would be in the moment.

Her response was slight, but it made his heart jump for joy. He remained in a holding pattern of slow kisses as he waited for her comfort and interest to grow. As she began kissing him back he moved more, hoped for more.

How many times he had imagined this; holding her and kissing her. He could only guess how badly he might have screwed this up if his older brother hadn't given him some tips about how to be with girls.

Kahoko marveled at how good this boy felt; his hands, his mouth on her. She wanted to touch more of him. She reached with her hand to touch his wild hair. He paused to look at her, grateful for her initiative. He slowly rolled her onto her back, rested his elbows on either side of her and gazed at her. This position reminded them both of when he had fallen on top of her at Fuyuumi-chan's villa, when he and Kahoko first saw each other as something more than friends. This time they knew what they wanted. He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her deeply. It was the fulfillment of both of their fantasies.

Together they pushed the boundaries of kissing and touching, bit by bit. The process was so gradual that she couldn't have said that she wasn't a full participant. It was all so natural. The fact that he was her friend could have concerned her for many reasons; instead she decided that she felt grateful that her first kiss was with someone she could trust.

When he realized that he was thinking about touching her breast, he pulled away. He didn't want to go too far. He returned to caressing her face. It seemed like the right thing to do. After a while he rolled onto his back and pulled her to him, putting her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her and said "I love you." He didn't expect an answer and he didn't get one. But at least his truth was finally out. She needed to know what the kiss had been all about.

They lay like that for a while longer and then Hihara turned to face her. He was nervous, but it had to be said. "You don't have to love me back, Kaho-chan. I just want you to know how I feel. If…if you would like to be my girlfriend someday, that would make me very happy."

"Uhm…Thank you, Hihara-sempai…" It was hard to know what to say…"This was nice."

She didn't want to give him false hope, so she didn't say any more. If she had never been interested in him romantically, why did she enjoy his kiss so much? Wasn't she supposed to be angry with him for 'taking advantage of her'? Regardless, she was now seeing him differently. She saw him as a young man; gentle and exciting at the same time, and one who apparently loved her.

"We should get ready for dinner, Kaho-chan. You can have the washroom first if you like."

"Thank you. I will."

* * * * *

He accompanied her across the street to her hotel room so she could leave her overnight bag there. Then they went to dinner. Tsuchiura had texted Hihara to say which table they were at, and when they arrived all of their concours friends were there. Kahoko tried not to look pensive. She didn't want to have to explain her mood, and she didn't want to worry Hihara-senpai, who was sitting next to her. At one point he found her hand under the table and squeezed it. Without looking at him, she squeezed back and stroked the back of his hand a couple times before letting go.

* * * * *

The evening lecture was about innovations in technology, as applied to music; what kinds of software programs are available for the computer, how to make recordings at home, etc. The recital that followed was so inspiring that Kahoko completely forgot about her jumbled thoughts.

* * * * *

He knew that she needed her space. It broke his heart to see her so consumed with her thoughts, knowing that he was the cause. She should be enjoying this weekend's musical opportunities, not worrying about the nature of their relationship. He felt guilty for what he had done. If she hadn't wanted to be romantically involved with him before now, then who was he to put her in this situation?

He called her after the recital, when he was sure that she would be in her room.

"Hi Kaho-chan. I just want to see if you're all right."

"Thank you, Hihara-sempai. I'm fine."

"Are you…are you angry at me?"

"No! Why would I be angry at you?"

He could barely get the words out. "For…kissing you."

"No…it was actually nice…It just happened so quickly. I'm just trying to figure things out."

"Yes, of course. Take your time…I just want you to be happy."

"Hihara-sempai?..."

"Yes?"

"I wish I were with you now."

That surprised him. "Me too…Do you want me to come over?"

"No, we can't. It's too complicated…But I wanted you to know. It felt good to be with you."

"Mmm…yes it did."

"Good night, Hihara-sempai."

"Good night, Kaho-chan."

* * * * *

It felt strange to be calling him Hihara-sempai after the intimacies they had shared, but calling him Kazuki could wait until he was her boyfriend. Yes, she was actually leaning toward accepting his offer. When he had said that he loved her, she realized that she had always known that on some level. She could feel his love, and she had interpreted it as friendship. Maybe friendship and romance could come from the same love. She was imagining what it would be like to be with him, and it seemed to her like a piece of heaven.

* * * * *


	4. Chapter 4

* * * * *

She slept well, and awakened feeling peaceful.

Her first workshop in the morning was about playing with other musicians. Most of her friends were in this workshop, and it was fun to be able to sit together. She made eye contact with Hihara at one point and flashed him a warm smile. He looked surprised, but smiled back readily. She could feel his eyes on her throughout the workshop.

* * * * *

After the workshop she pulled him aside. "I have a break right now until lunch. Do you?"

He was supposed to be in a class, but he was more than happy to create a 'break' for her. "Yes, me too."

"Will you walk with me? There is an atrium on the mezzanine level that I would like to see."

He nodded, smiling. His heart warmed to see her looking so content.

They walked slowly, she thinking about what she was going to say to him. He was watching her, wishing he could hold her hand.

The atrium was a large beautiful indoor courtyard containing trees, garden beds, small fountains and even a stream. Kahoko motioned for him to sit with her on one of the more secluded benches. She looked into his eyes and smiled. "I would like to be your girlfriend."

"Really?!" He grabbed her shoulders and stared at her. "Really?" he asked again.

"Really." She smiled.

He hugged her, then hugged her tighter. He looked deep into her eyes for a while and then kissed her tenderly.

"Will you please call me Kazuki?"

"Yes…Kazuki-chan."

He smiled and kissed her again.

He held both her hands in his, looking very serious now. "Kaho-chan, I want you to be happy. If there is anything I can ever do for you, please _please_ let me know! I don't have any experience with girls, so you might have to tell me stuff." His earnest expression made her smile.

"Thank you, I will."

* * * * *

During lunch it was obvious to the other Seiso students that Kazuki and Kahoko were emotionally connected. Yunoki was the first to comment. "What's with you two?"

Both of them blushed. Kazuki said "We're…together."

"Since when?!" Tsuchiura wanted to know.

"Since…yesterday?" Kazuki looked at her for confirmation. She nodded, smiling.

The guys looked shocked and none-too-happy about the news, but Fuyuumi-chan congratulated them.

* * * * *

After lunch he walked her to her room and waited while she packed. At one point he snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck. She put her hands on his arms and leaned back into him. So far she was liking this relationship thing.

They went to his room, packed his things and took the shuttle to the bus station. Waiting hand in hand for the bus, they thought about how much had changed since the previous time they were in the bus line. She looked up at him and got lost in his warm eyes. He looked at her, feeling that he would cherish her forever.

On the bus she slept in his lap again. This time he rested his hand on her waist, when he wasn't busy stroking her hair or caressing her face.

* * * * *

**The End**


End file.
